10 Job Hunting Tips You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier

The job market is competitive as it has ever been. 48% of business owners are finding few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. While there are more people competing for positions, there’s plenty of opportunities for you to stand out. The first step is getting seen.

You know you’re a great worker, you just need to get in front of as many fitting employers as possible. Thankfully, there are plenty of tools and tricks you can use to make the internet do the heavy lifting for you.

Before you wave the white flag and accept some lesser, lower-paying job, try these job hunting tips first. We promise by the time you reach number ten, you’ll find yourself going back and rethinking your job searching.

1. Use Twitter’s Lists and Hashtags

Twitter is a great job hunting tool. You can search specific hashtags related to your job to find prospective employers. Some hashtags are even tailored for hiring opportunities.

It’s also worth starting up your own Twitter list where you can organize a feed based on recruiters, job boards, hiring managers, and so forth. As soon as you see a job tweeted, you can be the first to apply.

As they always say, the early bird gets the worm.

2. Organize Your Job Search

Sites like CareerShift and Startwire provide tools that allow you to keep track of potential jobs. Catalog your application submissions, interview dates, and related job info. This allows you to view your job hunting history at a glance, saving you time and the stress of forgetting where you’ve already been.

3. LinkedIn for Quick Resumes

If you use LinkedIn (you should be) then your employment profile is likely current. Often, our online profiles are more up-to-date than our actual resume. Thankfully, LinkedIn has a Resume Builder tool that will convert your profile into a resume.

It’s not just a crude list-style resume. The tool produces a professional looking resume. It won’t replace a resume designed on InDesign or a similar site, but it works in a pinch.

4. Customize Your LinkedIn URL

This tip may seem minor, but it completes the look of professionalism and attention to detail. If you haven’t done this yet, you should customize your LinkedIn address to your actual name or brand. This makes it easier for recruiters to actually find you.

If you’re handing out paper copies of your resume this is an absolute must. The likelihood of anyone typing in a string of numbers to visit your LinkedIn is pretty low.

5. Optimize Your Resume Keywords

Don’t know what resume keywords are? Well, most major employers utilize some kind of automated filter to narrow down applicants. If your resume contains none of the relevant job keywords it will get passed up.

To avoid this, make sure you tailor your resume for each job position you’re applying to. Even if you have no previous work history, you can fill your skills and experience section with relevant keywords.

Don’t forget to use lots of active, passionate, and value-oriented words!

6. Manage Your Online Presence

Your resume is only the entry point to the interview process. If you’re using social media for job searching, you better believe the employers are, too. They will do a cursory glance at all your profiles, looking for shared interests and professionalism. Companies are no longer content with just standard background checks. They look at social media as well.

It’s in your best interest to try to curate a strong online presence and receive some level of engagement on your pages. If your social media accounts just have a few shared posts or comments, they won’t be memorable for the person tasked with viewing them.

7. Don’t Waste Your Cover Letter

This is a common mistake that can waste all the work you put into searching for jobs. If you submit a cover letter that is a reiteration of the information that’s in your resume, you’re not going to stand out. This is an opportunity to let your personality shine.

Tell a short story, talk about what you bring to the company, and end with a call to action. Also, express that you’re looking forward to hearing more about the opportunity to work for them.

8. Spend Time on Branding Yourself

It shouldn’t matter if you’re searching for a retail chain management position or a posh director’s role at a tech firm. Branding matters and the investment is nothing compared to the value you’ll get from professional branding.

A simple typographical logo based on your initials is something that you can take with you on your journey. This creates a cohesive theme on resumes, business cards, and websites. Make the first-impression consistent and strong in-person at a job fair or online on a job board.

9. Use Streak to Better Email

Organizing email is unknown territory for most people. Instead of fighting to dig through everything in your inbox on a daily basis, get it sorted. Streak is an awesome add-on for Gmail that allows you to create neat columns for clients, job interviews, and tracking leads.

This works for both self-made entrepreneurs and job hunters.

10. Be Timely!

Choosing the right time to submit resumes and email employers is another overlooked job searching tip. Preferably, you should email Monday morning, but any weekday outside of Friday is best. If you get a response, reply promptly and thank them for their time. Employers will remember you more if their positions ever open up again.

More Business & Job Hunting Tips

If you found this list helpful, there are more tips out there that can help give you the edge. Check back often at our business blog for more resources and opportunities. Here you can learn where business trends are going and how to adjust your strategy accordingly. We list job hunting tips, along with information about what to look for from potential employees.